Vetting Charities. This is from Consumer Reports and is US-centric. It gives tips, links to charity rating sites, and lists some of CU's high & low ratings in various categories, based on a review of the rating web sites.

Thank you, thank you, thank you! This is important to me, which I was so shocked that I lost it!

My father, who will be 81 next week is still as sharp as a tack, considering his immense health issues. He is so onto scammers that sometimes we have to remind him some things are legit! He will run something past my sister or I if it has to do with his computer or cable because sometimes they can be convincing. He is really onto the foreign voices on the phone telling him it is time to update his Dell..he has a Gateway!

I'm 68 and kind of not too bright, so I really need these resources, including our children.

two quick quotes:We have a visceral reaction to the idea that anyone would make very much money helping other people. Interesting that we don't have a visceral reaction to the notion that people would make a lot of money NOT helping other people.

"Too many nonprofits, he says, are rewarded for how little they spend -- not for what they get done. Instead of equating frugality with morality, he asks us to start rewarding charities for their big goals and big accomplishments (even if that comes with big expenses)."

I know there are lots of fake charities out there where not a penny actually goes to the people/cause they say they serve, but judging a legitimate charity based on percentages, overhead costs, or compensation of it's employees is a strange double standard. Society has deemed for-profit companies who pay their employees well and spend large amounts of money developing and marketing new products or services as "good", but villianizes not-for-profit organizations that pay their employees well and spend money on marketing and research while trying to solve some of societies biggest problems as evil. I work for a non-profit and only make about 75% of what I would be making if I worked for a big corporation. Shouldn't I be actually rewarded more for choosing to work for an employer that helps society rather than sells another trinket? If I can't earn enough to pay my bills or feel appreciated for what I do, would it really be beneficial to society for me to go back to working for big corporate?

Logged

"A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools."  Douglas Adams

two quick quotes:We have a visceral reaction to the idea that anyone would make very much money helping other people. Interesting that we don't have a visceral reaction to the notion that people would make a lot of money NOT helping other people.

"Too many nonprofits, he says, are rewarded for how little they spend -- not for what they get done. Instead of equating frugality with morality, he asks us to start rewarding charities for their big goals and big accomplishments (even if that comes with big expenses)."

I know there are lots of fake charities out there where not a penny actually goes to the people/cause they say they serve, but judging a legitimate charity based on percentages, overhead costs, or compensation of it's employees is a strange double standard. Society has deemed for-profit companies who pay their employees well and spend large amounts of money developing and marketing new products or services as "good", but villianizes not-for-profit organizations that pay their employees well and spend money on marketing and research while trying to solve some of societies biggest problems as evil. I work for a non-profit and only make about 75% of what I would be making if I worked for a big corporation. Shouldn't I be actually rewarded more for choosing to work for an employer that helps society rather than sells another trinket? If I can't earn enough to pay my bills or feel appreciated for what I do, would it really be beneficial to society for me to go back to working for big corporate?

As the wife of a social worker who hasn't had a cost of living raise in 6 years....can I get an AMEN?

This afternoon I was awakened from a lovely nap by someone pounding on my front door. The door doesn't actually open any more, but I was able to talk to the guy through a nearby window. He said he was with a roofing service. I actually need some roofing work. However, he then told me that I qualified for free roofing . . . which firmly marked the deal for my scam bucket.

I suppose they get more business by lying to people than not, but they won't get mine.

He tossed a non-recyclable brochure on the ground before he left.

Logged

It takes two people to play tug of war. If you don't want to play, don't pick up the rope.

I had to laugh at the subject line for some spam I was sent today (not sure if it's a scam, but definitely spam). Note that they're trying to sell a solar heating system:

"Get a 30% Rebate On A New Solar System!"

Gee, I think our current solar system is still in pretty good shape (even though we lost a planet a while back). Got a few billion years left on it, anyway. And I'm not sure I can afford a whole new one, even for 30% off.

Logged

My cousin's memoir of love and loneliness while raising a child with multiple disabilities will be out on Amazon soon! Know the Night, by Maria Mutch, has been called "full of hope, light, and companionship for surviving the small hours of the night."

I had to laugh at the subject line for some spam I was sent today (not sure if it's a scam, but definitely spam). Note that they're trying to sell a solar heating system:

"Get a 30% Rebate On A New Solar System!"

Gee, I think our current solar system is still in pretty good shape (even though we lost a planet a while back). Got a few billion years left on it, anyway. And I'm not sure I can afford a whole new one, even for 30% off.

Some of us are on those sorts of mailing lists ...I recently got spam for a box of rocks.Which I actually purchased for a geology section I was doing at work.(and man, they kill you on shipping for that!)

I can't tell you how many times I've despaired at someone wanting to donate to our local animal shelter and say "I want all the money to go to the animals, not to staff salaries!" Who exactly do you think takes care of the animals and finds them homes? I tried giving a cat my Mastercard once but it didn't seem to help find it a home.

I can't tell you how many times I've despaired at someone wanting to donate to our local animal shelter and say "I want all the money to go to the animals, not to staff salaries!" Who exactly do you think takes care of the animals and finds them homes? I tried giving a cat my Mastercard once but it didn't seem to help find it a home.

...and the building that the staff occupies, utilities, various office supplies that enable staff do their jobs, and marketing. If a non-profit spends $100 on an ad or brochure that convinces 10 new people to contribute $20 each (or adopt an animal), I guarantee, there is some idiot out there furious that the charity "wasted" money on marketing even though it resulted in more money.

Logged

"A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools."  Douglas Adams

I think there are two different questions here: how much is going directly to the beneficiaries, and how much is going specifically for fundraising? I won't fault a cancer or MS charity that is spending its money mostly on research; I would fault one that was spending the majority of its money on fundraising (phone calls, direct mail, etc.). "Staff salaries" at that research charity could be the salary of someone who is evaluating grant applications, or it can be the salary of someone who drafts fundraising letters. Yes, you need some fundraising, but the point should be to raise money to pay doctors or teachers or social workers, not primarily to pay for more fundraising.

Also, if you're spending four times as much evaluating grant applications as you are on research grants (or grants to actual dance companies, or whatever your organization's stated purpose is), there's probably something wrong with your process.

Logged

Any advice that requires the use of a time machine may safely be ignored.

I got a new one today. An e-mail claiming to come from HMRC to tell me I have overpaid on my tax and am due a refund.

Tickled me that they have added in a paragraph to say that I should *only* respond by e-mail "becouse (Sic) staff will not be able to help by telephone"

Sadly it does not explain how they know I've over paid on my tax this year given that I have not yet submitted my Tax Return, not why they are planning to refund me my overpayment in $$ rather than in ££.

Still, I'm sure that if I just e-mail them all my bank details they will be able to refund me my $457, won't they? ;-)

I think this scam works by having you open the attachment, which comes helpfully loaded with a Trojan allowing them to control your computer.

Logged

My cousin's memoir of love and loneliness while raising a child with multiple disabilities will be out on Amazon soon! Know the Night, by Maria Mutch, has been called "full of hope, light, and companionship for surviving the small hours of the night."